Loading cobalt phosphate on TaON surface as efficient noble-metal-free co-catalyst for enhanced photocatalytic water oxidation performance

Cobalt phosphate (CoPi) was loaded on the surface of TaON by a photochemical deposition method as an efficient oxygen evolution co-catalyst for the first time. Loading of CoPi showed little effect on the crystal structure and optical properties of TaON. While, the photogenerated charge carriers were efficiently separated in TaON after CoPi loading. Sample of CoPi/TaON (1 wt%) showed enhanced photocatalytic oxygen evolution performance of 1.75 mmol h(-1) g(-1) from water-splitting under visible light irradiation, which is about two times of that for pristine TaON. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.